38 Swedes change names for airline's Berlin apartment contest

COLOGNE, Germany, Nov. 1 (UPI) -- A German airline said it closed entries for a contest offering the chance to live in Berlin when an unexpectedly large number of Swedes changed their names.

Airline Lufthansa said it has closed entries for the contest despite the originally announced deadline of Nov. 28, after 38 Swedish citizens proved they were willing to legally change their names to Klaus-Heidi for the chance to win a Berlin apartment with rent prepaid for a year, The Local.se reported Friday.

The airline had chosen the name Klaus-Heidi because it is a fusion of traditional German names representing both genders.

"We never even imagined that so many people actually would change their names," Magnus Engvall, senior marketing specialist at German airline Lufthansa, told newspaper Dagens Media. "The campaign has spread even beyond the nation's borders."

The airline said the winner will be chosen from the 38 entrants by a jury reviewing their paperwork, which includes a section for the Klaus-Heidis to explain their desire to relocate to Berlin. The winner will also receive a free bicycle, language lessons and prepaid airfare to destinations within Germany.

United Press International is a leading provider of news, photos and information to millions of readers around the globe via UPI.com and its licensing services.

With a history of reliable reporting dating back to 1907, today’s UPI is a credible source for the most important stories of the day, continually updated - a one-stop site for U.S. and world news, as well as entertainment, trends, science, health and stunning photography. UPI also provides insightful reports on key topics of geopolitical importance, including energy and security.

A Spanish version of the site reaches millions of readers in Latin America and beyond.

UPI was founded in 1907 by E.W. Scripps as the United Press (UP). It became known as UPI when after a merger with the International News Service in 1958, which was founded in 1909 by William Randolph Hearst. Today, UPI is owned by News World Communications.